Valve for hot-water radiators.



No. 695,046. Patented Mar. II, 1902.

r C. A. GRANTON. VALVE FOR HOT WATER RADIATGBS.

(Application filed Aug. 20, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Ira/anion 11 W (1. mm, 2.9 Mwk UNITED STATES A'IENT FFICE" CLIFTON A. GRANTON, OF IIAVERI-IILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE FOR HOT-WATER RADIATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,046, dated March 11, 1 902.

- Application filedAngust 20, 1901- Serial No. 72,634. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFTON A. GRANTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Haverhill, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valves for Hot- Water Radiators, of which the following is a specification.

In the hot-water systems now in common use for the heating of buildings the only force which serves to keep up the circulation of the water in the radiators and pipes is devel oped by the difference in density between the hot water in the boilers and the cooler water in the pipes and radiators, and as this force is necessarily slight it is important for the pipes and their connections to be as free as possible internally from parts which might act as obstructions to the flow of the water. As hitherto constructed the regulating-valves located near the radiators have formed such obstructions; and a main object of my invention is to provide a valve for the purpose referred to which when open will leave the internal area of the pipe wholly free from and undiminished by anything which might impede' the circulation. My invention is also intended to provide a valve which can be quickly and easily operated and will be simple and inexpensive of construction.

Briefly described, my valve comprises a plate pivoted at one edge within a pipe or passageway and provided with means for turning it through such an angle that it may be brought across the bore of the pipe to cut off the flow of water or turned up against one side of the pipe out of the way of the water, said plate being given such a shape that its inner surface will form one side of the passage-way without obstructing the same when the valve is open, and being also given an outline corresponding with the cross-section of the interior of the pipe at the point where it is closed by the valves.

A preferred form of my valve is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a top plan View, of an elbow-joint provided with my valve. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the parts shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4: is a transverse section taken just in front of the valve and showing the latter in elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail section similar to Fig. 3, but showing the valve in its open position.

My valve is preferably placed in the elbow which ordinarily connects a radiator with the vertical supply-pipe passing through the floor of the room in which it is located, since when in such position it will usually be most accessible to be opened and closed. These elbowjoints are commonly curved in form, as it has been found in practice that such joints offer less resistance to the circulation of the water than those which present a sharp angle to its flow, and I have accordingly shown my valve in the drawings as applied to a curved connecting-joint, such as above referred to.

Thevalve illustrated in the drawings comprises a thin metallic plate 2, which is bent to correspond with and lit against the inner surface of the top of the elbow-joint 3 when turned against the same, so that the inner surface of said plate will form practically a continuation of the inside of the joint. The outline of said plate is such that its shadow or projection on a flat surface parallel to a cross-section of the elbow-joint corresponding to the position of the valve when closed will be the same as the outline of said crosssection itself, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that when said plate is turned across the interior of the joint 3 it will fill and close the same. The plate 2 is rigidly secured at one edge to a pivot-pin 4, which is journaled in a housing 5, cast on the joint 3, and is preferably squared at its central portion 6, where it passes through a boss 7, formed on one edge of the plate 2 and serving as a centering and guiding bearing for the same within the housing 5. In order to prevent the leaking of wa ter from the joint, the outer end of the pivot i ispreferably made to pass through a stuffing-box 8,filled with a suitable packing '9, and on said outer end of the pivot is secured any suitable means for operating the valve.- I prefer to employ for this purpose a lever 10,

adapted to be engaged by the foot to operate the valve and may be marked, respectively, with the words open and shut to indi- These arms are cate the corresponding position of the Valve when either of said arms is pressed downward. The wall of the elbow-joint 3 itself acts as a stop to limit the opening movement of the valve, and its closing movement is limited,preferably,by an external stop 13,cast on the joint 3 and located behind the lever l0,since the location of a limiting-stop within the joint would form an obstruction to the flow of the water. As thus constructed the interior of the joint 3 is wholly free from any form of valve-seat, and therefore it is not neccessary to grind or finish the plate 2 accurately to fit such seat, and, in fact, it is desirable that said plate shall not be so accurately finished as to be capable of closing the joint 3 absolutely tight in order that there may be a sufficient leakage past the plate 2 to permit enough circulation of water to prevent freezing. Thus it will be seen that when my valve is open a perfectly free and unobstructed passage-way is provided for the circulation of the water, the plate 2 not being of sufficient size to materially diminish the waterway and providing the same curved inner surface which would be provided by the joint 3 in the absence of said plate. My valve is also operated very easily, being moved in either direction by a downward pressure of the toe or foot acting in the most natural and convenient direction.

It will be evident that my valve need not necessarily be located in an elbow-joint, as it may be placed in a straight piece of pipe or in a pipe or passage-way of any other given form, in which case its configurationwill be such that when turned back against the wall of the passage-way in which it is located its under surface will form practically a continuation of the walls of the passage-way and provide a channel of the desired size and shape, and its projection or shadow will in all cases correspond with the cross-section of such pipe or passage-way.

I claim as my invention 1. In a valve for hot-water h'eating systerns, the combination of an elbow-joint, a

pivot journaled in and passing through the wall thereof, at one side of its interior, a plate located within the joint and secured at one edge to the pivot, said plate being curved both transversely and longitudinally and having its projection circular, as described, and means secured to the outer end of the pivot for operating the plate, the interior of said joint being unobstructed by any valve-seat.

2. In a Valve for hot-water heating systems, the combination of an elbow-joint, a plate 2 formed as described and mounted at one edge on a pivot passing through the wall of said joint, a lever secured to the outer end of said pivot and provided with oppositelyextending arms, and a stop secured to the exterior of said joint and adapted to engage said lever.

3. In a valve for hot-water heating sys terns, the combination of a joint having an unobstructed interior, a plate located within said joint and secured at one edge to a pivot passing through the wall of the joint, a lever secured at one end to the outer end of said pivot and provided at its other end with two arms extending in opposite directions from said pivot, and a stop 13 for limiting the closing movement of the valve.

4. A valve for hot-water heating systems comprising a joint 3 having an unobstructed interior, a plate 2 formed as described and located within said joint, a pivot 4 passing through the wall of said joint and rigidly secured to said plate, a stuffing-box surrounding said pivot, a lever 10 secured to the outer end of said pivot and provided with oppositely-extending arms 11 and 12, and a stop 13 secured to the exterior of said joint, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day of August, 1901.

CLIFTON A. GRANTON.

Witnesses:

ISAAC W. HANSON, MINNIE F. WELCH. 

